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glycogen depletion

GMP Talk (again)

February 15, 2011 by Kristy 2 Comments

2/15/11

5 miles speed work

2×1200 and 3×800 at 7:24 pace.  Done.

A few days ago I posted about not running enough miles at goal marathon pace (GMP).  Surprisingly, I have some more to say about that 🙂

Your GMP should be realistic based on current race times (not the half marathon you PR’d in 5 years ago).  You want to sustain this pace over 26.2 miles so it should be a cakewalk.  I say cakewalk because everything gets harder during the last 10K of a marathon.  I’m not talking about hitting the wall, just the normal aches and pains that come along with running 26.2.  You want your GMP to feel easy so that you are able to hit that pace later on in the race.  It is so, so easy to let your pace slip during those last few miles.

If your GMP is too fast for your current fitness level, you’ll start too fast, deplete your glycogen stores (more on that here), and hit the wall hard around Mile 20 (if not sooner).  At RRCA coaches training we learned that by going out too fast early on in the marathon you make up for it by running 2 to 3 min per mile slower during the last 10K.  Ouch!  That’s like beginning the race running a 9:00 pace and finishing with a 11:00 or 12:00 pace!  Banking time for a marathon never works.

Once you figure out your GMP, you should incorporate GMP runs throughout your training plan.  You can do tempo runs at GMP or add some GMP miles to your long runs.  You should be on autopilot with your GMP – knowing how your stride feels, knowing how your breathing feels – so on race day you can just get into the groove and enjoy the race!

The Importance of Rest and Recovery

January 21, 2011 by Kristy 4 Comments

Today is a rest day for me.  I’ve got a 17-miler to do tomorrow and some easy miles on Sunday.

I get asked all the time if I run every day.  I don’t and I don’t recommend it.  I’ve always ran 5 days per week with 2 rest days.  For this training cycle, I’m running 4 days per week with 2 days of yoga.  That still leaves me with 1 day of rest.  Figuring out what is right for you takes some trial and error.  Whatever you decide, having a day of rest is crucial both mentally and physically.

After a hard speed workout or long run are you stronger?  A better runner?  The answer is no.  Hard training takes a toll on your body – glycogen depletion, tissue breakdown, fatigue…just to name a few.  Training provides a stimulus for your body to adapt, but recovery is when you allow your body to adapt and improve (source).  Ah, makes sense, right?  That is why training plans follow the hard/easy principle:  1 or more hard days should be followed by 1 or more easy days.  An easy day could be an easy run, cross-training, or complete rest.  Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule.  In certain circumstances it may make sense to do 2 hard days back-to-back.  Say you plan on doing a half marathon as a tune-up race during training.  You may want to taper a bit before the race so your legs are fresh.  It would make sense in this scenario to do 2 hard days back-to-back to allow yourself a day of rest or 2 before the race.

Why follow the hard/easy principle?  To prevent glycogen depletion (talked about here in an earlier post), illness, and to minimize DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)(source).  DOMS is caused by microscopic muscle damage, which leads to inflammation and then soreness.  Doing a hard workout when you have a case of the DOMS will not only be miserable, but likely won’t be intense enough to improve fitness.

I expect a case of the DOMS after my 17-miler tomorrow.  The “feels like” temp is supposed to be 3 degrees.  Does that mean I can skip the ice bath post-run? !   🙂

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